Chapter 283 Butterfly Effect
Noir quietly watched Rihito and the others talk, but when their conversation paused, he asked Rihito a question.
"Rihito, this isn't just about golems, is it? Right now, the fairies are causing the same kind of trouble. You know that doing this is forbidden, don't you?"
"Honestly, if Miss Sara's magic wasn't leaking out, I wouldn't want to let this reckless thing happen either. If we're not careful, the ecosystem around Grandchester could collapse."
"Pochi will probably handle that part well, but we should stop this for good."
"I agree with that."
The people around them watched the conversation with curious expressions. However, it was Amelia who had a question.
"Mr. Rihito, what do you mean by the ecosystem collapsing?"
"I see, Amelia is a pharmacist, so she's interested."
Amelia nodded, and Alicia stood next to her. As an alchemist passionate about understanding the laws of this world, Alicia couldn't ignore Rihito and Noir's comments.
"Do you understand the idea that this world is a cycle?"
"Are you talking about how plants grow from the soil, and then animals eat those plants, and other animals eat those animals?"
"Exactly. And people and animals eventually return to the soil. The relationships between living things, like the food chain, and the inorganic environment filled with water, air, light, and magic in this world, are all together called the 'ecosystem.'"
"I can understand it as a concept."
Amelia nodded.
"The ecosystem is built on a very delicate balance. For example, if a lot of immigrants come to the capital of Grandchester, they will need a lot of houses, right? If that happens, they will start cutting down trees, won't they?"
"Yes."
"But the creatures that eat the fruits and leaves of those trees will suddenly be in trouble. If they have no food, they can't survive, so their numbers might decrease. Then, the animals that eat those creatures might also decrease."
"That's true."
"When a specific creature's numbers go down, it can lead to a rise in other animals that have fewer natural enemies. If their population increases, they might come down to human areas looking for food."
"I understand. Cutting down trees can have a chain reaction that affects many different creatures."
"Exactly. It's not just a problem for living things. Trees also help hold the soil together. If a lot of trees are cut down, the strength of the soil holding will weaken, which can cause landslides. The lords of Grandchester seem to know this well. The mountains near the hunting ground are properly managed."
"Indeed. It's wisdom passed down from our ancestors."
"I thought so too."
Rihito showed a satisfied expression.
"Pochi needs another plant to grow wheat. I don't know where it is, but right now, they are making wheat from the mixed forest near the settlement. The fairies are sensitive to changes in the environment, so I don't think they will do anything reckless, but the mixed forest is still part of the ecosystem. If it suddenly disappears, there will definitely be an impact."
"What kind of impact will there be?"
"I'm not sure, and it's not guaranteed that changes will be obvious right away. But if we keep doing reckless things without thinking, some kind of distortion will probably happen somewhere. I really don't want to think about it, but it could lead to a locust plague or an outbreak of disease."
"That's terrible! That area just got over the ergot fungus problem!"
"Huh, did you have ergot? Do you have any samples left?"
"Unfortunately, we burned everything. Grandchester is a grain-producing area, so we didn't want to take any risks."
"That's understandable. I think it was a wise decision."
"Could great-great-grandfather have made a new medicine?"
"I could, but I might also create something dangerous, so it would be tricky to handle."
"Miss Sara said something similar."
"I see. She might say that. By the way, diseases aren't just for plants. Animals we usually don't see could carry unknown diseases. What if a creature living in the thicket had a disease?"
Hearing Rihito's explanation, Amelia and Alicia shivered and tightened their expressions.
"That's a very scary story."
"Exerting power means affecting many things. I hope Miss Sara realizes that when she wakes up. Please be aware of it in your daily lives and share it with Miss Sara as well."
"Understood. Sir Rihito."
"Got it, great-great-grandfather."
Noir approached Marquis Grandchester and spoke, showing his fangs.
"Lord of Grandchester, you must listen carefully. Do not even think about normalizing the idea of obtaining crops through such underhanded methods. If you're not careful, it could lead to the complete destruction of wheat and other crops not just in Grandchester, but all of Avalon."
"I understand. That aligns with the teachings of our founder."
"Hmm. If that's the case, then you cannot truly say you understand the essence of the founder's teachings."
"What do you mean by that?"
"If you are a ruler, you should be more aware of the dangers of relying on the power of fairies or the knowledge of reincarnators, and depending on things that are not normal. This applies to wheat, golems, and probably magic stones as well. If Grandchester uses golems, other territories and nations won't just sit back and watch. They will likely try to sell it as some secret technique of the Grandchester family or lend it out. If you think this will increase your influence as a noble family, you should stop."
"I think it could lead to significant profits for the Sophia Merchant Guild."
"There are only a handful of territories that can easily buy multiple expensive magical tools. They probably intend to extract some kind of favor in exchange for not being able to pay money, right?"
"That's true. Eventually, the Sophia Merchant Guild will likely open branches in other territories."
"Then you will attract jealousy and resentment from many people. Your method of relying on Sara's power is the same as Odel, which perished due to its dependence on fairies. Have you learned nothing from Odel's downfall? It's frustrating, but I must admit that the young man Roisen, who shouted 'Human endeavors are accomplished by human strength,' has a point."
Marquis Grandchester looked at Noir with a curious expression.
"Could it be that Noir is the black wolf of Odel?"
"I didn't know you didn't know. Well, it doesn't matter either way. But, you should listen to what I, who have actually witnessed the country's collapse, have to say."
"I see... I understand. I'll keep that in mind. However, Blaze has welcomed quite a great fairy as a friend."
"There's no such thing as a great fairy. We are just close friends."
"I see."
Noir also didn't reveal that Blaze was of the Odel royal bloodline.
"Well then, I'm going back to my friend. The night is getting late."
"I see. Until we meet again."
"If there's a chance."
Robert listened to the exchange between Marquis Grandchester and Noir, thinking it would serve as a reminder for him, even if it was a small territory, to become a lord after marriage. But at the same time, he had another impression.
'But, doesn't this conversation between the two sound a bit old-fashioned?'
Of course, Robert wasn't foolish enough to say it out loud.
Meanwhile, Amelia and Alicia, along with Maria, began discussing the future nursing arrangements for Sara.
"Mr. Rihito, if we don't know when Miss Sara will wake up, should we prepare a medicinal soup instead of food?"
"Yeah. If we leave it to Ms. Maria, swallowing the medicine shouldn't be a problem."
"Is this the kind of medicine we need?"
Amelia handed Rihito the list of medicines.
"Ms. Amelia is really talented. But considering her age of 8, we might have to be careful about using these kinds of medicines."
"Should we ask Mike to change her appearance to Ms. Sophia?"
"No, right now Miss Sara is using a lot of magic to process her memories. It's better not to mess with her using magic."
"Got it. By the way, do we need to hear opinions from other pharmacists?"
"Well, it's possible that things have changed in the 40 years I was asleep, so I'd like to hear from another pharmacist."
"Then would it be okay to consult my master, Alexander? He is the vice-master of the Pharmacist Guild."
"If he's Ms. Amelia's master, he must be excellent. Please tell him I'd love to meet him."
"Understood."
Talking with Rihito, who has many years of experience as a pharmacist, was a valuable opportunity for Amelia to learn something different from her master, Alexander. At the same time, she was curious about their differences and was taking notes eagerly.
"Mr. Rihito, shouldn't we move Miss Sara to the Maiden's Tower? There, we have all the medicines and equipment we need. More importantly, we can take turns watching over Miss Sara. It would be easier to handle if her condition suddenly changes."
"That might be true, but..."
Rihito shifted his gaze to the 3 members of the Grandchester family. They reacted in surprise to Amelia's suggestion.
"Isn't it okay to do it at the main residence?"
"I understand her family's concerns, but the best environment that can quickly respond to Miss Sara's condition is Maiden's Tower. Until Miss Sara recovers, we will bend the rules of Maiden's Tower to prepare a guest room for Mr. Rihito. Ms. Maria will also move to Maiden's Tower with Miss Sara, right?"
"Of course."
"Is that okay with you, Mr. Rihito? Ah, but I think it would be good to inform her family that she has woken up."
"I don't mind, but are you all okay with this?"
"The priority should be Miss Sara. If we move all the golems from the main residence to Maiden's Tower, it should be safe."
"That safety sounds like it means you all are protecting yourselves from me..."
"That's overthinking it. It would be safe even in the opposite scenario."
Without even smiling, Amelia answered in a calm, business-like manner. Amelia had switched to her work mode, so this was not a light-hearted comment but a serious response.
With the theme of 'ensuring everything for Sara,' the 3 from the Grandchester family had no choice but to agree, and Sara was set to move to her own room in Maiden's Tower. Of course, the golems that were in the main residence would move along too.
Thus, Rihito became Sara's primary doctor, with Amelia and Alicia stepping in to support him. The daily care was handled by Maria and the young maids from Maiden's Tower, while the golems took care of the more menial tasks. Coincidentally, just as Sara had told Marquis Grandchester before she collapsed, all the golems from the main estate were moved to Maiden's Tower.
Additionally, with the increase in staff, a female cook was hired the next day. She had originally lived in a village of women, but recently her daughter got married, leaving her to live alone. Accepting her wish to work and live on-site rather than being alone in an empty house, she was welcomed as a new member of Maiden's Tower.
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